Technical 53 chevy 3100 rear axle/drum question

I'm redoing the rear brakes on my 53 chevy 1/2 ton with the original closed driveline rear end. When I slid on the new drums, one side fit great but the other wasn't sliding all the way back. I noticed the center circles on the axles were different sizes. One measured 3 5/8", and the other was 3 7/8" so the new drum didn't fit over the larger one. I looked at old drums and looks like one of them had center hole ground out to fit that side.

So I'm wondering if the axle shaft with larger center is from different year? Should I grind center hole on the new drum to fit? Or grind the center of axle shaft on that side so new drum can just slide on?

Any help, tips or concerns would be appreciated!

Thanks, Kenny

 

Well, that's an interesting situation ya got there! My guess is just what you said - someone probably discovered that an axle from a different year worked just fine.

Either solution you mentioned would work, but I think if it were mine, I'd take it to a machine shop and have them open it up on a lathe so that you have a nice round, centered hole.

Good luck!

 

Interesting indeed, Had me scratchin my head for awhile! Thanks for the advice Mr. waldo53!

 

I agree with Waldo, looks like someone swapped it out. How did the rim fit over this "larger hub"? Or was it just tightened down against it? Sounds kinda like three choices here:

1. MACHINE the hole in the drum to the correct diameter to keep everything centered.
2. Pull the axle and have the hub turned to the correct diameter, but this means replacing the already ground drum.
3. Replace the axle with the correct one.

If you know someone that will turn the axle hub down cheaply I'd go that route. Otherwise I'd replace the axle. Boring the drum will only create problems (and work) in the future if you have to replace it. JMO

 

Thanks Coneboy, don't really remember how the rim fit but was one of my concerns if I just machined drum. My step-dad is a mechanic at the fire department and they got all kinds of cool machines that might work for turning or machining. Ill see what he says. Have been seeing lot of guys dumping old frames & drive-trains for swaps around here. Maybe I'll get lucky.

 

The change comes with Bendix brakes in '51.